A Rebel's Heart
by SmartAssAssassin
Summary: You know Luke Skywalker, the hero of the New Republic and his brother in law Han Solo, his sister Leia, and their friend Chewbacca. They are the saviors of the rebellion, the true heroes. But what if I told you there was someone else there. Someone who played just as great a role as them. Who was just as important to the rebellion as our heroes. The unsung hero of the rebellion.
1. Prologue

Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away…

Actually, that's not quite right. The galaxy we're in now and that galaxy are one in the same. Therefore it was not far, far away nor was it really all that long ago. In fact, I was there. In the background you could say. I was a young lieutenant in the rebellion at the time working with my fellow comrades to take down the tyrannical Empire and it's malicious ruler, Darth Sidious, the emperor along with his merciless enforcer, Darth Vader.

But enough about me. This isn't my story.

This is the story of one of my closest friends who actually played a rather large role in the defeat of the Empire. Despite that though, you've probably never heard of her. Not many have.

You all know Luke Skywalker, the great hero of the New Republic and his brother-in-law Han Solo and his sister Leia as well as their close friend Chewbacca. In many of the minds of the people of the New Republic, those brave souls were the saviors of the rebellion, the true heroes. But what they don't know is that there were other's there, others who didn't need the recognition or fame to be proud of what they'd done or to be considered heroes to those who knew them. Not to say that Luke, Han, Leia, and Chewbacca were only in it for those reasons, far from it actually. But they were not alone.

This individual whose story I'm here to pass on to you was what you would call an unsung hero, someone who was a hero in a less obvious, public way. Those who knew her knew of her great bravery and heroics, of the part she played in all of this. She was a legend among those who fought in the great war for freedom and her story is one worth telling.

She is Senna Nyrithian and this is her story…

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**Please review and tell me what you think. **


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or any of the original characters.**

**Chapter 1**

_Now, our story begins soon after our heroes have escaped the death star and arrive at the rebels' base on Yavin IV. Or at least, that's when __**SHE **__comes in…_

"Approaching Yavin IV," Han Solo called from the cockpit as he navigated the great ship towards the green moon, "Should be there in a couple of minutes." His companion Chewbacca growled his agreement, turning back to the computer screen before him. "Finally", came the impatient reply as Princess Leia Organa stepped carefully into the cockpit, an irritable expression filling her face. She looked exhausted, her hair coming out of its intricate buns and her shoulders sagging ever so slightly in a way she would have been appalled at had she not been so tired from running from the imperials. She sat carefully in her chair, mindful of a wound on her back where a blaster shot had grazed her and shot Han an annoyed look.

"I was starting to think this old bucket of bolts would never get us there."

Han's normally calm, amused expression turned reproachful as he turned to the princess and growled, "If you don't like my ship, your highness, then maybe you should float the rest of the way to your precious base." She sniffed and glared fiercely at him. "Anything would be better than this death trap", she snapped, leaning forward challengingly. Han glared right back and opened his mouth to make another sharp retort when an extremely amused voice interrupted with, "Don't you two ever take a break."

Both of their heads whipped around to see a grinning Luke Skywalker standing in the doorway of the cockpit. He shook his head in amusement as he stepped in and his grin quickly turned into a smirk.

"I mean, sooner or later you're gonna run out of snarky things to say to each other. What then?"

Han scowled at the former farm boy and said, "Ha ha. Very funny kid", before shooting one last glare at the princess and turning back to the steadily approaching moon. Luke laughed and took his seat beside Leia, who simply glared at him then turned back to the view of their destination.

A series of grunts and growls was heard from where Chewie was sitting in front of the navigation computer and Han acknowledged the Wookie with a nod.

"Ok. He says we're entering the atmosphere and to hold onto something. This could get a little bumpy."

"You say that as if it wasn't bumpy before", Leia quipped with an annoyed roll of her eyes. Luke chuckled softly as Han simply raised one hand in a particularly rude gesture that left Leia sputtering in indignation which of course only made Luke laugh even harder.

They passed through the atmosphere with little trouble and landed just outside the crumbling temple where the rebels were currently based. Some of the rebel troops were there waiting for them. Two of the troops hoisted the droids onto one of the two military speeders waiting a couple yards away from the _Falcon_. Leia, Han, Luke, and Chewie climbed onto the second speeder and were driven off into the depths of the base.

The speeder pulled to a stop in a large hanger crowded with pilots and officers bustling about checking engines, discussing flight formations, and going over covert operations all while dodging the X-Wings, Y-Wings, and A-Wings that were lined up along the walls. Standing a couple yards away from where the speeder stopped was a middle aged man wearing a grey commanders uniform and the second they stopped Leia jumped out and ran into the commander's open arms. Luke and Han hopped out with Chewie right behind them and looked on curiously as the commander hugged the young princess, relief washing over his expression. "You're safe", he said pulling back with his hands on her shoulders to check for any injuries, "When we heard about Alderaan we feared the worst." She grinned widely up at the man and said, "It's good to see you too Commander. I'm fine I promise, but for now we really need to get the information out of this Artoo unit," at this she gestured towards R2-D2 who had just been loaded off the other speeder, "and use it to plan our attack. It's our only hope of taking down the Death Star." The commander nodded and stepped back to walk with her down the main hanger all the while gesturing to a couple troops walking by to begin the extraction of the information from the R2 unit. As they continued on about their military plans and some scouts that had just returned with new information, Luke, who was trailing behind with Han and Chewie, looked around in awe , trying and failing to not appear as the star struck Tatooine farm boy that he was.

"This is so cool."

Han shrugged. "Eh. I've seen better. None of these even begin to come close to my girl."

Luke snorted. "Oh please. Your old rust bucket has nothing on a good X-Wing."

Han scowled at him and opened his mouth to make a sharp retort, but was cut off by Leia calling back to them, "Luke, Flyboy! Hurry we need to discuss our plans with the other generals." It was then that the two men realized that in their argument, they had stopped in the middle of the hanger and Leia and the commander were far ahead of them, looking back at them curiously. Han gave Luke one more glare before hurrying after them with the young Jedi right behind them. Chewie, who had been a couple yards ahead of them, slowed his stride and let out a couple of grunts and growls and Han turned his annoyed scowl onto the Wookie.

"Yuk it up fur ball. We'll see if I have your back the next time you get shot at."

The giant alien simply let out a growling laugh and proceeded to walk ahead of them.

Soon enough they arrived in a large room with large holo table in the center with several men in uniform standing around it, their expressions serious and solemn. As Leia entered they all turned and greeted her with various degrees of respect. Right away they started in on their plans to destroy the Death Star and not long after the meeting started some troops showed up with the information from R2-D2 and they dove deeper into their plans.

They were just getting to the actual destruction of the Death Star itself when the doors opened behind them and a voice said, "Did you get the information?"

Luke, who had been listening intently from the sidelines, whipped around to see a figure standing in the shadows. They took a couple steps into the light and they were revealed as a young woman with curly golden blonde hair falling past her waist and large stormy grey eyes. She wasn't wearing the same grey uniforms as the troops that were lined up behind her. She wore tight black pants tucked into knee high black boots and coupled with a black tube top that was more like a tight black band covering her chest. Her hands were covered with fingerless black leather gloves and she had a blaster strapped to her right thigh and a rifle slung across her back. She was completely different than anyone he had ever met and he was absolutely stumped by her mere presence.

Beside him Han snickered and bumped his shoulder in amusement. "Close your mouth lover boy, I think you're drooling."

Luke shook himself out of his shock and shot a glare at the smuggler who simply laughed as a blush started to spread up the side of his neck.

Leia turned and a smile lit up her face. "General Nyrithian. It's good to see you again. I trust your mission went well?" The young women smiled and it was a flash of white against her bronze skin as she strolled over to the holo table and slung her arm over the princess's shoulder.

"Leia Organa you did not just use your senatorial voice with me", she said teasingly her grin widening. Leia laughed and it occurred to Luke that he had never heard her laugh before. It was a light, carefree kind of laugh that made him smile slightly at the sound. She smiled at the young woman and said, "I suppose I did. How are you Senna?" Senna grinned. "That's better. And I'm good for someone who just got out of a dog fight. The mission was a success, but we were caught while making our exit. We got the info though." Leia nodded in understanding. "Were there any casualties?"

Senna sighed sadly. "Yes. We lost Al and Bale on the way out. I haven't had time to check and see if we lost anyone in the dog fight." She turned and looked at one of the rebels that she had come in with.

"Kari, did we lose anyone in the dog fight?"

A young lieutenant with dark brown hair coiled up into a plait under her hat and deep green eyes stepped out of the small group.

"We had one casualty General. Bale Orlof."

Senna shook her head sadly. "Such a shame. He was a good man."

Leia nodded in agreement then turned back to the holo table. "This war has cost us much. But we can prevent many more losses with this attack. With the combined information from the Artoo unit and the information General Nyrithian was able to obtain while undercover, we should be able to coordinate a most effective attack. Now, we'll begin here…"

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**Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to write the first chapter, but I've been super busy with my new classes and my other stories. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can, but I make no promises. Hope you guys enjoy! And please review. I'd love to hear from you guys.:) **


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the original characters **

**Chapter 2**

"Well I'll be damned!" The amused voice of Senna Nyrithian stopped Luke in his tracks and he whirled around in surprise to see the young woman standing a little ways a way with a hand propped up on her cocked hip and a smirk playing across her lips. The shock that had run through his body when he'd first laid eyes on her washed through him once again and he opened his mouth to respond before he realized that she wasn't talking to him. Her flashing blue eyes moved past him and he heard a soft chuckle at his side.

"Hey Senny", Han said with a grin as he stepped from the farm boy's side and strolled over to the young woman then proceeding to wrap his arms around her waist and spin her around in a wide circle, eliciting a girlish giggle from her that didn't at all fit the tough, bad ass persona she seemed to portray to the rest of the universe.

She grinned up at him as he set her down and reached up to scrub his hair, making it stick up in every direction and laughed when he grimaced and tried to smooth it back down.

Luke simply stood there awkwardly during this exchange and softly cleared his throat to get their attention.

The pair turned to him arms moving to each other's wastes as they both grinned unabashedly back at him. Luke smiled weakly and said, "So I take it you two know each other?"

Han's lips split into a secretive smirk.

"You could say that."

A feeling of disappointment he couldn't quite explain rose up in the pit of his stomach as he took in their close proximity and the familiar way in which they interacted with each other.

"So you two are together", he asked tentatively.

Senna's eyes widened and disgust flashed across her face.

"Ew! No", she practically shrieked, whirling away from the Corellian pilot whose expression also showed some repulsion at the question.

Luke started at her extreme reaction and he felt the blood rush to his cheeks as he stuttered an excuse.

"I'm s-sorry. It's just that-I mean y-you-well you just seemed so familiar w-with each other. I-I just thought-"

Han shook his head.

"Nah. You got it all wrong kid."

"Yeah", Senna was quick to jump in, nodding in agreement, "Believe me I would never even CONSIDER being in any sort of relationship with this laser brained nerf herder. I mean gross."

She shuddered and Han shot her a glare.

"Hey! I resent that you little schutta!"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What did you just call me you son of a blaster?"

"Um guys", Luke called with a little wave of his hand in an attempt to get the arguing pair's attention.

Senna glanced in his direction then turned back to Han with a look that clearly said _this isn't over_ and shot the young Jedi a blank look.

"Like we said. It's not what you think."

Han nodded and a smirk stole across his mouth as he slung his arm around Senna's shoulders, tugging her against his side at which she shot him a warning look.

"Luke Skywalker", he said smugly, "may I introduce you to my lurdo of a little sister, Senna Eline Nyrithian _Solo_."

Shock was evident in Luke blue eyes as he gaped at the apparent siblings.

"Y-y-your sister", he stuttered in disbelief.

Senna smirked in a way that suddenly made her look very much like her older brother.

"I know. Hard to believe someone as unbelievably gorgeous and bad ass as myself could be related to this oaf, but unfortunately it's true."

Han scowled in mock anger down at his little sister and gave her a little jab to her ribs.

"Careful little sis. That big mouth of yours is gonna get you into serious trouble one of these days."

She shot him a sly grin.

"And you would know a thing or two about that now wouldn't you big bro."

Han laughed and shook his head affectionately at the young woman and turned back to the still stunned farm boy.

Luke gave himself a shake and gave the two an odd look.

"Wait. If you two are siblings, than why do you go by a different last name and how did you get mixed up in the resistance while your brother became a smuggler for Jaba the Hutt?"

Senna gave a tired sigh. "It's a long story that I really don't have time to tell so I will leave that pleasure to Han. Right now I really have to go speak to my team about some new flight tactics I've come up with for the upcoming battle. Han, you and I can catch up later. Luke", she turned the young Jedi, "It was nice to meet you. I'll see you guys around." With that she detached herself from the Corellian pilot with a quick squeeze to his waist and then walked past them down the corridor towards the hanger. Luke watched her disappear around the corner before turning back to the smug looking Han.

"Well", he prompted with a quick gesture of his hand for Han to continue.

He sighed and slapped a hand on Luke's shoulder gesturing for him to keep walking.

They walked in silence for a little while before he finally spoke.

"Senna and I grew up on Corellia. She was born about 6 years after me and our mother died giving birth to her. Our dad raised us after that. He was a smuggler, worked for some big Corellian mob boss. When I was 10 he sent me off to the academy to train. When I was 14 he was killed on the job and by then I had run away after saving Chewie and only just arrived home. Apparently, he had made some enemies during his time as a smuggler and I caught some mercenaries sneaking around our house one night a little while after he was murdered. I wasn't sure if it was my father's enemies or the Imps trying to hunt me down, but either way I knew I had to get my sister and Chewie out of there. That same night, I packed up everything we would need, grabbed my 8 year old sister and my best friend, and took off in a small ship I'd hotwired and stolen. We stopped on Tatooine to refill on fuel and to pick up some supplies with what credits our father had left us. While I was talking to one of the traders in the Bestine market place, I overheard some smugglers talking about Jaba the Hutt and how he was looking for some more smugglers after he lost a couple to the Empire a few weeks ago. It was easy money, simple deliveries here and there. We really needed the credits and I needed a way to protect my little sister. So I went to Jaba and asked for a job. He took me on, had some of his lackeys show me the ropes and how to fight. Eventually they let me out on my own. From then on Senna and I traveled the galaxy doing jobs for Jaba, vacationing here and there when we had the time. About 5 years ago we ran into some trouble with the Imps, took some pretty bad hits. We got away, but the ship had suffered some serious damage and we crashed a few miles from here. I took a hit to the head and Chewie's leg was crushed and Senna…Well Senna had been working the turrets during the attack and…she was hit. She had suffered some serious burns and multiple breaks in different bones all over her body, a concussion, internal bleeding. She was lucky to be alive. The Rebel's found us and pulled us out of the wreckage. They took us back to their base and patched us up. We stayed for about four months, one of which Senna spent in the bacta tank and the med bay where it was touch and go for a while. Afterwards, it was suggested we stay for our recovery and for the repairs to our ship. During that time when she was finally out of the med bay and out of danger Senna spent a lot of time with the other Rebels about their missions and ideals. She especially liked talking to the pilots. Sometimes she even went out with them on practice runs. She was only 12, but man could she fly. She started helping out around the base, making suggestions on flight formations and attack strategies. She was always good at that stuff you know. Eventually they started trusting her with more secretive plans and bringing her in on some of the planning. By the time we had finished the repairs on the ship and were ready to leave, she was heavily involved with them and was in the process of becoming one of their pilots. She didn't want to leave. We argued about it for days until she finally managed to talk me into it, explaining to me how important this was to her and I got it. She wanted to fight, to help and as worried as I was about her, I respected that. So I left her here. She took our mother's name so that her work couldn't be traced back to me and I would be safe. Well as safe as a smuggler could be. I came back every once in a while between then and now. To check on her. And that is the story you were so eager to hear farm boy."

Luke blinked at him. Lost for words for a moment before replying calmly, "Wow. Senna was right. That was a long story."

Han laughed.

"Yeah. But you know you were hanging onto every word."

The young Jedi gave him an innocent look.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

He gave him a knowing look.

"Oh I think you do. Don't think I didn't see the way you were eyeing my baby sister during the entire meeting."

Heat rushed to his cheeks and he opened his mouth to make up some excuse when he heard someone calling out to them, "Citizen Skywalker, Captain Solo."

They turned to see the young lieutenant from the meeting earlier hurrying towards them. They stopped and waited for her to reach them. When she was right in front of them, she gave each of them a nod in greetings. Han nodded back and shot the pretty lieutenant a lazy grin.

"Hey. Is there something wrong Lieutenant…"

"Kari Solen, Captain. And not at all. Arrangements have been made for three rooms for you two and your Wookie friend. I have been instructed to escort you there then give you a tour of the base to make sure you are aware of your surroundings in case of an emergency."

Luke and Han nodded and Han smirked at the young lieutenant.

"Lead the way, Lieutenant."

She gave a curt nod and walked a head of them. Luke began to follow when he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Han giving him a knowing look.

"This conversation isn't over. We'll continue this later."

Luke's eyes widened and he nodded. Han gave him a quick slap on the back before walking after the lieutenant. He paused for a second before letting out a tired sigh and following after them. _This is gonna be a long night_.

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**Hey guys! I'm so sorry for taking so long getting this chapter up, but I'm a very busy woman this summer and I've been totally crazed. Anyway, I finally have it up and am excited to hear from you guys. Tell me what you think! I really want to know. Unless it's mean. Then please keep it to yourself. I promise to try to update more, but I make no promises. Enjoy! And please review!**

**~SAA~**


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